shelly009

Its been 29 days hooray! And it seems that the first 2 weeks were a breeze but now I seem to think alot more about it then I used to. Always checking to see how many people are drinking in restaurants. Wondering how many drinks people have in certain situations. Thinking about whether or not I could just have one with dinner etc.

The whole point of this stopping drinking was because I was TIRED of thinking about it all the time. Now I feel like I think about it more than ever.

Tell me the thoughts go away eventually.... and when?

MycoolFitz

Precoccupation is one of the symptoms of the disease and continues long after sobriety. We're being treated not cured. We are a society of addicts, its presence is everywhere, media, social events, etc. It'll be in your head too. The more you fix on it or fight it the stronger it'll get. Notice it without clinging or adversion ("Ah, drinking thought", "oh, somebody drinking".) Recognize it and let it pass, it will only to come again. Had a drinking dream again last night, its there too. However, most of these dreams for me are choosing not to drink in the dream which is pretty cool. Don't know when and if things will change for me. Just know today I am Sober. "We are what we think, with our thoughts we make the world"--Buddha. So just watch your thoughts, think of or about booze does not equate picking up.

justanothrdrunk

Seeing as how alcoholism is an obsession of the mind, just taking alcohol physically away doesn't automatically mean the thoughts aren't still there.

In other words, I call what you're experiencing as normal.

Been sober two years. My experience has been that the obsession (or a part of the obsession) went away gradually.

I should add that I see the obsession as having two parts. The first part is my obsession with using alcohol. I get a daily reprieve from that each day as I work my program of recovery. Some people (myself included) call this the craving.

The other part - for me anyway- is just noticing alcohol when it is present. And that too has fallen off for me, but that took longer.

I still have times where it seems like there's alcohol everywhere except in my hand. But it's not that often any longer. It took a lot of hard work on my part.

I think too that some of it is just the "I can't have it, so I notice it more" factor too. Like if I were to give up bacon, suddenly I see bacon everywhere - weird.

Anywho - just hang in there. It does get easier/better. Like I said, I'm at 2 years and I still consider myself to be early in recovery.

Anna

This happened to me too, whenever I became very serious about stopping. I think that the addict-mind knows that it is about to lose and comes on stronger than ever, in a desperate attempt to keep its hold. See it for what it is, dismiss it, and move on. It will ease up!

nogard

In early recovery I asked a friend about this and he said simply acknowledge the obsession and tell it thanks but not today, basically tell it to go away and do it again and again if you have to. It helped me a lot.

After some time I realised I could not remember the last time I obsessed about booze or drugs and since then it has not returned.

There is always hope.

Dee74

It does go away Shelly. I can't remember the last time I consciously noticed someone drinking.

D

tommyk

I think about drinking... no... I want to run and/or lift weights later.

I think about drinking... no... I'm going to read before I go to sleep.

I think about drinking... no... I'm going to play my guitar and I need coordination.

I think about drinking... no... if I have one I'm just gonna want 12.

I think about drinking... no... I've got some sponsees and other people who can use my help.

I think about drinking... f*ck drinking, I don't have time for that nonsense anymore.

(I stop thinking about it about a split second after I start thinking about it. )

otterbearcat

Ive been working on the drinking problem for a little under 3 months. Saturday evening was out at dinner. Noticed peoples drinks on the table, not much of a problem, but noticed guy walking down the street carrying a beer,and girl carrying empty liquor bottle. Saw people buying beer in line in front of me. I see it, I notice it, but by the time I left the store I had forgotten about it.
During the first 3 weeks it was alot harder to let go of. It still bugs me, but it has gotten easier...

Rad44

Since I quit drinking April 7 I have been prescribed Naltrexone as a part of my IOP. I found that in addition to eliminating most all cravings, it also mostly eliminated the obsessive thinking about alcohol and the "drinking dreams" as well. No side effects and non-addictive too.